Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Surprise!

My sister and her now husband tied the knot over the weekend in an intimate wedding ceremony at a friend's home. There were only about 30 people in attendance (mostly immediate family) and it was amazing. I've never been part of such a small wedding and let me tell y'all that is the WAY TO GO. It was exactly what she wanted...small, casual and with a hippie/boho vibe. The house hosts prepared a wonderful dinner after the ceremony and we enjoyed barbecued pork, mac & cheese, slaw, potato salad, broccoli salad and then banana pudding and doughnuts for dessert under twinkle lights and a cool breeze. It was totally them and totally perfect.

Here are some iPhone photos to share! I didn't get a lot of the "details" and decor but I did get a few. Enjoy!









Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Three Years

It's hard to believe it's been three years since we got married! Sometimes it feels like the blink of an eye and other times it feels like forever. I've learned so much over these three years...

I've learned that marriages are about losing. Losing an argument. Losing control. Losing your pride.

I've learned that marriages are about compassion. Compassion for things you can't empathize with.

I've learned marriages are about grace. Giving grace to someone even if they don't deserve it.

I've learned that marriages take work. They aren't easy and they require constant work.

I've learned that marriages can reshape who you are in a good way.

But most importantly, I've learned what it means to have a constant advocate, caregiver, protector, stress-reliever, guardian, encourager and lover.

Happy Anniversary, M!


Friday, April 7, 2017

Living Room Update

Do we really need to go into depth psychoanalyzing why I keep changing and redecorating my living room? I think not. Honestly, I like to change things up and rearrange furniture or move decor items around a lot to keep things fresh. Well, it's hard to rearrange furniture in our current living room given the set up but I can still swap out the decor items. Here's where we are now:



Yes I have two animal pillows in my living room. It's hard to see the detail on the elephant one (from WalMart!!) but it's got gold accents. The other thing I do quite frequently is switch out my throw pillow covers. Both of those gray/gray check pillows are Ikea pillow forms with Ikea pillow covers. I've had them forever and love them!

The white wall things...because I have no idea what to call them...are actually rubber stair treads we got from Lowe's that I spray painted white and then distressed with M's electric sander.

And as a reminder, here's where we've been in the living room area in the past.


Will I ever get tired of gray? Maybe. But I don't see it happening any time soon. 



Tuesday, April 4, 2017

The March Edit: Hits and Misses

I'm starting this recurring monthly post about things I've tried and liked or tried and didn't like in a particular month. I'm kicking off this series with some fave beauty and lifestyle stuff and some of the ones that I didn't like so much!

Hits


Links//Foundation//Undereye Setting Powder//Laptop Bag//Burt's Bees Facial Wipes//Tank Top

This foundation is my new favorite. It works really well with my dry skin and stays on all day. Also, it's nowhere near as expensive as the Born This Way one I was using. I've been using this for a couple of weeks and I'm very impressed!

I got this undereye powder as part of a free gift with purchase when I bought some products from e.l.f. cosmetics and I really love it. It's not too drying to make my undereyes look crepe-y but it also keeps my concealer in place all day. I'll definitely purchase this when I run out.

This laptop bag is seriously adorable. I love it so much! It's slimline and lightweight but protective and so cute! It comes in other patterns but this big rose floral is very springy and fun!

I was on the lookout for a new face/makeup wipe and tried a bunch of them. These Burt's Bees ones are a hit! They are good for my sensitive skin and the cloth is soft. I'll be repurchasing these for certain.

These Old Navy tank tops are my new fave for layering. I'll admit that I gave up on Old Navy for a while because I wasn't happy with the quality of their stuff. But these tanks are soft and drapey but not clingy. They don't wrinkle easily and look expensive. I purchased a gray one and then loved it so much I went back online and purchased in navy and this peachy color. LOVE!

Misses



I tried these Croc d'Orsay flats thinking they'd be the best of both worlds...Croc comfort and a cute style. And while they are adorable they are not comfortable. I don't have wide feet but these things are SO. TIGHT. around the strap. Like uncomfortable. I might wear these a couple more times to see if they'll stretch but otherwise these are a dud.

In my hunt for facial/makeup wipes I tried these and while the formula itself isn't bad the wipes feel like sandpaper. There's no way I would keep using them on my skin.

I was trying to find a cheaper alternative to my beloved It's a 10 light spray and I failed miserably at this one by IT. This product is very sticky and made my hair feel heavy, dirty and greasy. I used this twice and gave it away to someone with very thick hair. It could be that because my hair is fine it just was too much and could work for someone else but for me? No thanks.

I got this e.l.f. volumizing mascara as part of a free gift with purchase and I used it once. I'm glad I didn't "pay" for it because the formula is very, very dry. If you like a dry mascara this one is nice for a natural look but it didn't work for me.

Finally, I love my regular Batiste dry shampoo. It's the best I've ever used...hands down. But I wanted to try this one specifically for blondes to see if it could brighten my roots in between hair appointments. UM. It did not brighten. What it DID do was leave a yellowy/golden cast on my scalp...so much so that my sister (who is a hair dresser) was like, "did you put bronzer on your scalp?" Nope! I'll stick to my regular Batiste dry shampoo from now on.

Well, there you have it. My March hits and misses. I really enjoyed this post so I hope to do these monthly! Let me know if you had any experiences with any of the products mentioned above.


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